Gates open Thursday, July 31, to kick off the 174th year of the Wisconsin State Fair, and ahead of that, state inspectors have been on-site to ensure all rides are safe for fairgoers.
TMJ4 spent time behind the scenes with state inspectors who are making sure the rides are ready for you and your family.
On a steamy summer day at a park just outside the state fairgrounds, the only thing that rivaled the temperature was the level of excitement for the return of the Wisconsin State Fair.
Watch: Wisconsin State Fair gears up for 174th year as inspectors ensure ride safety ahead of July 31 opening
“Scary rides and cream puffs,” said Versace, cooling off at a splash pad near the fairgrounds. When asked how many cream puffs he could eat, he confidently replied, “Probably four.”
Versace and his friends Willow, Jaden and Jaylen are ready to ride—especially The Kraken.
“I wasn’t tall enough last year, but I’m looking forward to seeing if I’m tall enough this year,” Versace said.
To make sure “The Kraken” is ready for this crew, and thousands of others, it is all hands on deck at the fairgrounds.
“Our entire inspections staff is on site during the entire setup to the fair,” said Jennifer Garrett, deputy secretary of the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
State inspectors from the DSPS have been carefully examining more than 40 rides, looking at maintenance records and checking electrical and mechanical parts.
Inspectors are looking for many things, including “loose bolts and connection parts and pieces that need to be tightened or replaced,” Garrett said.
Before the familiar sounds and smiles return to the fairgrounds, safety is the top priority.
“I’m a mom, I have 3 kids,” said Shari Black, Wisconsin State Fair CEO.
Black says transparency is important to families just like hers, and it’s why TMJ4 was invited to see the rides be examined by DSPS inspectors.
“They’re not just walking by and looking at the ride, they’re actually getting in the rides and looking at the tracking,” Black said.
If you want to make sure a ride has been surveyed and is safe, look for a small red license plate.
“When they pass their inspection, they get an updated sticker, kind of like the tags on your license plate, and it looks like a license plate,” Garrett said.
Garrett is confident that all rides will have a 2025 sticker by opening day. “The state fair has had an excellent history, so I expect all the rides will pass inspection and be ready to go,” she said.
She says that leaves just one worry for fairgoers: “How long is the line for my favorite ride?”
Once the fair starts, rides at Spin City will continue to be monitored with daily safety checks by operators and a third-party company.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
